MOVE OVER coconut water, matcha tea and avocados - the superfoods predicted to be popular in 2017 have now been revealed.

Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at Superfooduk.com, said: “Essential Oils have been around for many, many years but have been forgotten about a bit. Their return is in line with the 2017 theme of ‘natural’ and ‘holistic’ products.” Nutritionist Cassandra Burns added: “Essential oils are among the simplest natural remedies. We’re rediscovering how the can help with a plethora of modern ailments including stress and anxiety, mood, sleep and even hormonal balance.”

Tiger nuts

Tiger nuts are not from tigers, and they’re not nuts. In face, tiger nuts are a small root vegetable that grows in the Mediterranean and Africa. They’re a traditional food in these areas and may even have been eaten as far back as the Stone Age. Tiger nut milk is also a traditional drink in Spain.

Cassandra said: “Tiger nuts are commonly found in the form of tiger nut flour - great alternative gluten-free, grain-free flour that can be used in baking or cooking and that’s suitable for all types of diets from vegan to Paleo to nut-free. Tiger nuts are high in fibre and contain calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, amongst other valuable nutrients.” Shona added: “They are great when it comes to supporting digestive system and weight loss.”

Chewable probiotics for dental care

People are getting more and more concerned about their teeth and their dental health. One way to help prevent any infections and the build up of bacteria is by taking probiotics in a chewable form. Cassandra explained: “As well as taking care of our intestinal health, friendly bacteria also live in our mouth and help to take care of our teeth and gums too. For this reason, chewable probiotics could help to keep our oral health in check.”

Omega 3 from algae

Along with the 2017 trends all things ‘natural’, there are themes of ‘environmentally friendly’, and ‘sustainability’. With this in mind, along with the rising popularity of vegan diets, the market for omega 3 from algae is only likely to increase. Shona said: “We know that there is a real concern about the sustainability of fish due to over farming of our oceans. Omega 3 from algae allows us to have the benefits of the nutrient without affecting our fish stock.”

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We’ve seen probiotic yoghurts and probiotic supplements of course - and even probiotic chocolate has found a niche int he market. Now probiotic water is proving popular too, as another way to naturally help our gut. Shona said: “Tablets are out. Different ways of getting our supplements are in. Food and drink are becoming functional - this trend is an example of how we can get the goodness of water with the added health benefits of probiotics.”

Cauliflower in all forms

Cauliflower is amazingly versatile. Cassandra suggests: “You can pulse raw florets in a for proceeder to make cauliflower ‘rice’, steam it and blend to make a delicious mash, or just remove the leaves, shove it in the oven and bake it whole. It’s low in carbs and calories and high in fibre, vitamin C, folate and potassium. It also contains compounds called glucosinolates, which are thought to have anti-cancer activity.”

Super-spices

‘Superfood’ has become the biggest buzzword int he health food industry. However, after years of avocado and quinoa reigning, it’s time to pass the crown to super-spices - with turmeric being one of the most powerful. It contains curcumin, which has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin has also been shown to help relive the pain of arthritis, injuries and even dental procedures.

Lily Soutter, Nutritionist and weight loss expert at lilysoutternutrition.com, said: “This bright yellow spice is best known for its potent anti-inflammatory benefits. It is the cur cumin within numeric, which has been used to treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis as well as playing a role within cancer prevention and protecting against heart disease.

Goat meat

Goat meat is a staple North African and Middle Eastern cuisine as well as being the most widely consumed meat in the world. However, it rarely makes it onto the dinner table in the UK. Lily said: “Whilst goats cheese and even goats milk is pretty popular, it’s hard to find goat meat in any of our local supermarkets. It’s a healthy option, it’s low in fat and higher in protein than some meats and it’s also higher in iron than beef, pork or lamb.

“What’s more, eating goat meat can be considered an ethical choice too, Currently, goats are farmed primarily for their milk and so - shockingly - most male goats from goat diary industry are killed at birth. Creating a market for goat meat will allow the male goats (Billy goats) to live decent life as they are reared for their meat.”

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Filipino cuisine

While Thai and Vietnamese foods are now throughout the Western world, Filipino food has been slower to catch on. However, this may all change during 2017, where the Filipino cuisine is set to become more popular. Lily said: “There are many healthy and flavoursome choices available such as Paket - a vegetable dish full of spices, adobo - meat marinated in vinegar and soy sauce, Ginataang - a fish stew, roasted lemon grass chicken as well as Tortang Talong - an aubergine and egg based breakfast.”

Purple foods

The future of modern cuisine is purple. Why? They pack a powerful disease-prevention-punch. Lily explained: “Purple kale, purple carrots, purple cauliflower, purple broccoli and the purple potato are all amazingly rich in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the antioxidant responsible for their purple colour and have amazing disease fighting properties. They can soothe inflammation as well as boost immune function. Lastly. antocyanins have also been shown to improve memory and brain function.”

Everything sparkling - including teas

Drinks with a fizz are gaining popularity by the day Cassandra said: “Thanks to champagne, the word ‘sparkling’ is associated with celebration and luxury. No wonder that sales of prosecco have set up by 80 per cent over the last five years. This trend is being translated into health drinks too.” Lily added: “We now have have sparkling sugar free infused water, as well as sparkling matcha tea. 2017 may just bring this trend to a whole new level.”

Meet adaptogens

Some plants have superpowers that can help our body adapt to and handle stress. These wonders are called adaptogens and include macs, licorice, ginseng, rhodiola and mooring, adaptogenic herbs have been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine to boost energy and increase resilience int he face of stress. Shona explained why they are making a big come back: “As their name suggests, adaptogens are herbs that help the body to adapt to the stresses of life. They are townifying to the body, strengthen it, rebuilt it and nourish it. Adaptogens are able to ‘adapt’ their function, specific to what our body needs. They usually have a specific affinity for the adrenals and the endocrine glands, therefore having a positive effect on hormonal balance and the way the body functions under stress.”

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After years of avocado and quinoa reigning, it’s time to pass the crown to super-spices

Watermelon water is the new coconut water

Watermelon water is simply taken from the whole juice of a watermelon. Cassandra said: “Like coconut water, it contains natural electrolyte minerals. It’s especially high in potassium, which has the benefit of keeping our blood pressure in a healthy range. It also contains lycopene - one of the most powerful and protective antioxidants found in plants.”

Sunflower protein powders

With more and more people going vegan, plant based protein powders have already started flying off the shelves. Shona explained why we should be so hot on protein: “We need protein for many reasons - not only our muscles but it’s also required for building, healing and repairing most of the other tissues in our body - as well as producing a range of vital substances such as antibodies and hormones. Because the richest sources of protein are animal foods, vegetarians and especially vegans may struggle to get enough protein.

“For optimal wellbeing, an adult needs a minimum of around 0.8 to 1g of protein per kilo ‘ideal’ body weight per day. So if your healthy body weight is 60kg, you’ll need around 50 to 60 grams of protein per day. And this amount increases if you’re very active, or trying to build strength.”